Kinnock weighs in on Observer | Bluesky challenging Twitter for publisher referrals
And Dylan Jones hows out after 18 months as editor of the Standard
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Friday 29 November 2024, brought to you today in association with The Content Exchange.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock has shared his concerns about the future of The Observer, adding further pressure to The Scott Trust as it mulls Tortoise Media’s bid for the title.
Nearly 500 Guardian/Observer NUJ members attended a meeting on Wednesday signalling their intention to hold what is believed to be the first strike at the title in 40 years next week.
X has never been a big source of traffic for most news publishers and has become even less significant in recent years as it has apparently downgraded posts which contain outside links.
Now several publishers report that Bluesky has already overtaken X as a source of referral traffic. Press Gazette has also seen good traction on the platform (you can follow us on Bluesky here).
And Dylan Jones has bowed out after 18 months as editor of the Evening Standard.
Under his tenure London’s local title has leaned towards more general lifestyle content, reflecting his long run as editor of GQ, and shifted from daily to weekly distribution.
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On Press Gazette
Lord Kinnock joins chorus of concern for future of The Observer
Former Labour leader tells Press Gazette: "I’m concerned because I can’t be sure that Tortoise has the capacity or the inclination to sustain the Observer as one of the very few rational progressive Sunday newspapers in the UK.”
Bluesky already delivering more referral traffic than X for some publishers
Jones will stay on to "write frequently" as editor at large, the company's executive chairman said.
Dylan Jones steps down after 18 months as Standard editor
Jones will stay on to "write frequently" as editor at large, the company's executive chairman said.
News in brief
Journalists in Australia to no longer face prosecution for receiving secret government information even without making it public. It will also stop being an offence to publish information stamped protected or secret as it will depend on the actual content. (The Guardian)
Martin Frizell, editor of ITV's This Morning for 10 years, to step down next spring to free up time for family priorities. He will miss the team "and the thrill of live telly but it’s an always on, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week commitment and I won’t be able to do both."
The BBC has confirmed Today presenter of 11 years Mishal Husain is leaving the broadcaster in the new year, after The Times first revealed she would be leaving the programme but it was unclear whether she would move to another role.
Also on Press Gazette:
The Swedish regional newsbrand driving subscriptions via Google Discover
Why publishers deserve more than 50/50 generative AI revenue share
How Capital Economics made leap to personalised multimedia publishing (promoted)
Warning of imminent, ‘irreparable’ fracture of news landscape without action
Reach ends year with more redundancies but reports net increase in staff
Latest podcast
Podcast 79: How Bluesky became News-sky, Google Discover, US election lessons
Press Gazette editor-in-chief Dominic Ponsford talks about the benefits of Bluesky for publishers with the zeal of a new convert, reporter Bron Maher explains how publishers are getting new traffic from Google via Discover and Charlotte Tobitt reveals the biggest lessons for the news industry from the US presidential election.